The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-05
TONS OF CHEWING GUM
To Keep American Jaws Masticating
A Habit That Is World Wide.

To Keep American Jaws Mastioating-
A Habit That Is Worldwide.
Prom the New York Tribune.
-Four hundred thousand dollars invested
In a plant, in Brooklyn, for the manu-
facturc Of chewing gum, and over ,0OO,0 900
a year spent by the American people for
ths commodity. Who would believe
such thing possible7 And yet one Of the
largest manufacturers Of chewing gum in
this country yesterday assured a Tribune
reporter that II Is an actual fact, and
minute survey Of the mammoth factory
devoted TO this single industry produced
convincing proof Of the truth Of Inns state
ment The factory In question is a well
built brick structure six stories high above
the basement, seyenty.ieet front and 200
feet deep, and Is situated In n healthy
quarter not far from the bridge.
In the basement are located 4 100 horse
power engine, which runs the machinery
throughout the building; a dynamo Tor
lighting the factory with electricity, and
the watts, etc, for the iirst process in the
manipulation OF the gum. But the secret
processes Of fabrication are guarded with
extreme jealousy, which is perfectly proper
when il is remembered that they have
been evolved out OF twenty years OF careful
experiment and intelligent enterprise. The
fint floor is the shipping-room, and when
the reporter called two large vans were
drawn up TO the door at the side Of the
factory 90 be laden with cases Of gum for
shipment. The FIVE stories above are occu-
pied 10y machines, which are the exclusive
property Of the manufacturer, and by the
packing and labelling departments.
With the understanding that none OF the
processes were 10 be described, the pro-
prictor escorted the reporter over the build
Ing, aud, In the course OF exploration,
communicated many interesting facts on
the subject Of cheving-gum in general.
sis the common idea that Americans
are the only gnm.chcwcrs q correct one?'
asked the reporter.
''By no means. he replied; "the habit
rs universal In the northern States the
people have chcwcd the spruce gum from
time immemorial. and the Indians made
the same use Of il before the whites came
here. In the south the women chewed
the end Of n stick which they dipped from
time 10 time In a snun-box. This habit.
which has been proved 10 be injurious,
has been supplanicd 90 a great extent in
late years by the introduction Oi chewing.
gum, and we have abundant evidence that
the substitution Of gum for snuff has been
wonderfully beneficial. The Chinese chew
O pungent bean; the Turks and other
eastern races use beeswaX and the natural
exudalions Of trees for the samc purpose
Bot the Americans arr lar from being the
only people who use manufactured chew.
ing.gums There Is large consumption
OF them IN England and on the continent
of Europe, and We shipscycral good order'
30 Australia every year"
"What substance is most used ~ a base
for these gunsY'
'In the early stages Of the business IN,
parafIine extracted from coal tar aud the
natural gum OF the spruce were the onl,
substances used, but about twenty yeau
ago We introduced the ch.cle, a spongy ox
udalion cf gpyish color from tree callct
The chicozopotc, in Mexico. The chico is
large forest tree, aud Is found chiefly nca
the coast in the districts OF TuXpan an'
Papautla.
Thousands Of the Indians in those prov
inces now make their living by gathering
ehicle and bringing II down TO the markc
towns along the coast"
Referring 10 the phenomenal growth o
The chewing gum trade In recent years
This well known manufacturer said.
"whcn We bcgn the business, chewing
rum WIS made, like toys, for the amuse
inent OF children. But the natural NJ
quirrmeni ior something 10 chew, which !
illustrated among the human family b!